ABOUT SPARC

The SUNY Poly: Advancing Research & Commercialization Initiative features two incubators with an emphasis on different technologies: the iCLEAN Incubator, which is focused primarily on clean energy technology, and the Tech Valley Business Incubator, which I concentrated on nanotechnology and biotechnology. Funded primarily through the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Empire State Development, SPARC works with small and start-up companies throughout New York, the Northeast, and the nation.

SPARC offers budding and seasoned entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, inventors, and innovators the highest levels of incubation and commercialization assistance, including access to world-class facilities and equipment, prototyping and advanced development capabilities, manufacturing and training expertise, along with executive mentoring and entrepreneurship education and outreach programs.

SPARC assists its member companies develop technologies and businesses through all stages of development, while simultaneously helping them raise funding and collaborate with strategic partners to accelerate commercialization.

SPARC helps companies:

IDEATE

Develop ideas

Innovation pipeline events

Early formation and business structuring

CREATE

Prototype development and pilot demonstration

Testing and third party validation

Demonstration

Development plan

Commercialization activities

NAVIGATE

Partnerships (industry, university, labs, manufacturing partners)

Financing

Grant funding

Customer discovery

Coinciding with these principles, SPARC is committed to continuing to cultivate and grow a world-class innovation ecosystem for startup and established clean energy, nanotechnology, and biotechnology companies in New York. This enables the companies working with SPARC and its partners, as well as all of the other ventures that benefit from SPARC’s various programs, to develop rapidly and organically, which keeps the public and private investments along with the jobs that these companies create here in New York.